The Heart Does Go On
by XxTitanicAngelxX
Summary: Rose went back to been a society girl after she gave birth to Jack's son. Years later, she married Charlie and this is written in 1932, the time Rose and Charlie's daughter is about to become an actress. For years her mother, Rose never loved her but now


Applying another layer of mascara, Rose stared at herself through the mirror...it reflected a woman of late 30's. Long, red hair twisted in tight ringlets and spilling from the black hat which sat on her head. Her black outfit reflected her thoughts and feelings that day.

Rose Calvert was now a 37 year old woman, still in the hight society life she hated. Rose never loved again after that night she lost everything...even the man she loved. Rose had two children - Jack was 20 and Megan was 17.

Jack was the son of Jack Dawson, a man who Rose had 'loved and lost'. Jack had never known his father knowing his mother hated the subject. Never knowing the truth, Jack found a father figure in Rose's new husband, Charlie Calvert.

Megan was the daughter of Rose and Charlie. Ever since she was a little girl she knew that she wasn't loved, never by her mother. Rose was cruel, unkind and never battered an eyelid. Megan loved her brother, Jack dearly. Him been the only person keeping her sane and not taking her own life like she had planned to so many times. Megan loved her father dearly but he cared only for the little boy which wasn't even his.

For the past 18 years, Rose had lived a life of luxury. But crying herself to sleep each night just praying to be freed, for her life just to end.

Today, was the day she would start anew one last time. Her husbands funeral. Charlie had suffered from an heart attack which had ended his life.

Rose was hurt but she knew she had to hide it away, be the cruel, heartless person she had been since she'd met Charlie. Rose knew that day by day she had turned into her mother, pushing away her daughter and controling peoples lives, she vowed she'd never turn into that person, but she had.

_**4 months later**_

The Calverts had moved to West Virginia when Charlie died. Megan was now starting out as an actress and was planning to move to New York that summer. Jack, well just like his father, was working as an artist. Rose smiled gently as she flicked through her sons portfolio, some new sketches he'd drawn of the landscape, they were beautiful.

'Tea, ma'rm?'

Minnie, Rose's maid spoke.

'Yes' Rose replied, puffing gently on a cigarette.

'Mother, may I speak with you...there's something you should know'

Rose looked at her daughter, she really was trying but Rose still felt nothing. 'Of course' Rose said quickly.

'James and I are heading to New York this weekend, he's found a drama studio there for me, we'll stay with his parents for a while'

Megan smiled, she would finally be free from the bubble she'd been in for all of her life.

'Why, that's wonderful news, Meg...I hope you'll be happy there'

Megan smiled, for the first time her mother was been...well not nice but...civil with her.

'Do you have to go this weekend?' Jack asked his sister. 'The house will be lonely without you'

Megan smiled, someone cared. 'Yes, I'll miss you but I have to do this, I want to act, I want to be famous'

Jack's face smiled weakly. 'You want me to run you to the station?'

'Oh no, James will be with me we'll be fine...and I'll visit every summer'

'Well you make sure you do'

_**Late Friday night of the weekend Megan was due to travel to New York. **_

Looking in the mirror, Megan tied the ribbon around the end of her plait. This time tomorrow she'd be free from society. Megan looked up as she saw the mirror reflected another being. The corner of her bedroom was dark and the only light in the room was a small oil lamp. The shadow stepped from the dark and into Megan's vision she saw her mother.

'You all ready for tomorrow?' Her mother questioned, indicating to the suitcase beside her dressing table.

'Oh yes, it's going to be quite the journey' Megan laughed, tears then pricked in her eyes as her mother sat on her bed. Megan looked back in the mirror and saw herself and Rose, she never really noticed how much alike they were.

'Do you know anything about acting, Mother? Do you know what it's like?'

Rose smiled at her daughter, tears in her eyes as well.

'I was an actress...once' Rose replied. Shocked, but wanting to know more, Megan sat beside her mother on the bed.

'Really? Why didn't you ever say?'

'It's the best, Meg...been free to do what you like. One of the best times of my life, but when I married your father it all stopped, he didnt like me sharing my body with the rest of the world...so after 5 picture movies, I gave it all up'

'For dad?'

Rose nodded.

'Ever since I was a little girl, I swore to myself I'd never end up like your grandmother, cruel, heartless, selfish...my father was the only person who I loved in the world then when he died...I was forced into marriage, but...I knew I'd find someone to set me free one day...and there was Jack...just like you have James.'

'Mom...Do you love Jack, more than you love me?'

A single, sparkling tear trickled down Rose's porcelain cheek. Rose stood up as she wondered over to the window, the gasman had just lit the last gas lamp in the street. It was quite a hot, sticky night.

'Oh no...never, Meg'

'Then why...why do you never tell me you love me, why have I always felt unloved...why me and not Jack?'

Quickly, Rose grabbed her daughters hand and kissed it tenderly.

'My darling Meggie...'

Megan couldn't fight back the tears any longer, she began to cry silently. She had never seen her mother so emotional, not even at her husbands funeral.

'Mom...'

'Megan...when ...when I was just 17, I fell pregnant with Jack. I had nothing, just a baby, no husband, no money just a grotty little bedsit. I couldn't even afford a crib for Jack, he slept in a drawer...full of blankets. He was falling even ill faster everyday, I knew I had to get money, somehow. So after I swore I'd never go back, I went home to Philidelphia...I went to see Margret Brown...'

Megan gasped. Margret Brown...The Unsinkable Molly Brown? 'You mean...The Unsinkable Molly Brown?'

Rose nodded silently. 'I went back to been a society girl, back with my mother, back where I hated been the most. When I was 19 and Jack was 2, I met Robert Calvert, he owned the local theatre and knew of my dreams of becoming an actress. So that's where it all began...I was a 19 year old single mother when I starred in 'Romeo and Juliet' I played Juliet. In 1922, I made a moving picture film and I met your father, he was Robert's older brother...he was good looking, charming and rich. Nothing like Jack Dawson, the man who I've only ever loved'

'Mom...I had no idea...'

'He was just 20 when he died, he was an artist...with the most beautiful blue eyes and floppy blonde hair, he had boyish looks...so heavenly. I was hanging from the back of a ship when we met'

Megan's jaw dropped as the only word she managed to speak was...'Titanic'

It was piecing together now bit by bit.

'I was ready to jump, but he stopped me and yes I fell in love with him, he would have still been with me today if that ship hadn't had hit an iceberg...but maybe he would have survived if he let me die...I would have died for him, but he made me promise to go on and have lots of babies...but I only ever wanted his, and I got one...a little boy named Jack Dawson just like his father. That part of him no one could take away from me cuz I could keep him, he was mine and Jack's.'

'So you don't love me?...B...because I'm Charlie's daughter? Not Jack's?'

Rose shook her head immediately. 'No...no I do love you, Meg...you're still my little princess even though you've all grown up. You're 17 years old and a picture of me at that age...James is very lucky to have you and so am I, I do love you Meg I always have even though I never showed it, women of society don't have a heart we're just meant to be better than anyone else, but we're not. We're human, we love, we care, we get hurt and we have feelings...but living in society makes you hollow and I don't want that to happen to you Meg...so I want you to go to New York, I want you to be an actress, I want you and James to get married and have lots of babies...I want you to be happy and free'

'I love you, Mom' Megan threw herself into her Mother's arms as for the first time she was been cradled like a baby. Rose rocked her daughter gently for what seemed like hours until her emotion subsided. Pulling away, Rose gently wiped the tears from Megan's eyes and stroked her finger gently down her cheek.

Both Rose and Megan knew it would never be the same again, Megan now knew he Mother loved her and fogave her for not showing her love. Megan was to go on and Make Each Day Count. She was to become an actress and marry her James and be happy and free just like her Mother told her to.

_**The next day - Goodbye**_

James loaded the 3 suitcases into the trunk of his car, it would be a long day. Megan hugged her brother, Jack tightly as he stoked her hair. He kissed her cheek gently.

'I'm going to miss you, Meggie' Jack said, his voice cracking with emotion.

'Yeah, I'll miss you too, I love you'

Megan glanced around to try and see her mother but she was nowhere to be seen. Megan sighed as she opened the car door.

'Meggie'

A voice shouted from the door of their home, Megan smiled as she ran to her Mother.

'You didn't think I wasn't going to say goodbye did you?'

Megan shook her head. 'No, not now'

'Meg, in the summer...I'm going to pack up here and Jack and I will move to New York to be with you and James...is that alright?'

Megan hugged her Mother tighter. 'Perfect'

James tugged on the horn as it beeped loudly. 'We'll miss the train, Meg' He shouted.

Pulling away from her Mother, Megan kissed her cheek lovingly as she took in every little fine line on her face just enough to remember for another 2 months.

Megan ran down the steps of the porch and got in the car, she waved as the car sped away.

Rose pulled Jack closer to her, for 2 months it would just be the two of them.

_**Ending**_

Megan went on to become a successful actress and in 1951, she won an Oscar for her role as Lilly in 'Titanic: A Night To Remember'. Megan married James and together they had 6 children and Megan acted until she was in her late 80's, she died peacefully in her sleep at the old age of 100.

Rose did move to New York that summer of 1932 and acted alongside her daughter for the final time in 'Motherhood', a tale about a mother and daughter's close relationship. Rose was finally reunited with her Jack in 1987 at the age of 92.

Jack became an artist for a film company and in 1937 he married Maria. They had 2 children but Maria suffered many miscarriages leaving them bother distraught. Maria died at the childbirth of his second child, after both his children survived. Heartbroken, Jack moved in with his mother as together they raised the children.

Jack Dawson, looked upon Rose, Jack, and Megan proudly. He smiled as he looked over his son, his lover and her daughter. He was happy that Rose had kept her promise and moved on. 75 years after the Titanic sunk, Jack was finally reunited with his Rose. Then his son, then Megan.

Today, Rose, Jack, Jack Jnr and Megan may have passed on to the next world, but their legend lives on whether it's through their films or just through imaginations. Remember: The Heart Does Go On!


End file.
